Controversial traffic restrictions in a Copeland village have been put on hold while consultation takes place.

Road changes have been suggested in Beckermet in a bid to tackle traffic build-ups in the village. The move hopes to stop the early-morning and afternoon rat-run when Sellafield workers cut through the village to avoid the grid-locked A595.

Entry restrictions would stop vehicles entering the village through Morass Road and Nursery Road.

Residents have previously had concerns over the plans, including worries for the safety of children outside the village's school and nursery as well as the impact on local businesses.

And county councillors backed plans for statutory consultation on the experimental traffic regulation order at a meeting of Copeland's Local Committee on Tuesday.

Coun Paul Turner, whose division includes Beckermet, said: "I am quite happy to see a consultation is going to take place."

And Coun Chris Whiteside added: "I am very happy to support this, my understanding is that it is an open consultation to discuss all the issues.

"We don't want to give any impression we will be building up any steamroller behind this, it's important we are open to any suggestions."

A series of engagement sessions are being planned to look into the proposal before county council highways' officers report back to the local committee in the new year.

Small businesses in Beckermet have written a letter of support to the highways department over the planned consultation. They had previously called any decision to impose restrictions "inappropriate and irresponsible".

Residents believe the move would put the schoolchildren's safety at risk as traffic would instead drive past the village's primary school and nursery. Traders also feared for their businesses as they pick up much of their income from Sellafield traffic.

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison visited the village in the build up to the by-election in February to meet with the businesses, saying it made "no sense" to divert all traffic past the school.

While Copeland mayor Mike Starkie met those concerned on a number of occasions and asked the county council to put a halt to its plans and start a fresh consultation.